Where Does the Word 'Volcano' Come From? - East Morton ...
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Where Does the Word ‘Volcano’ Come From?
Have you ever thought about why volcanoes are actually called
'volcanoes'? Can you think of a reason why?
The word 'volcano' comes from The island
the island ‘Vulcano’, which is a actually gets its
volcanic island in Italy. name from the
Roman God of
fire – Vulcan.
Vulcano, Italy.
The Roman God of Fire
Roman mythology says that Vulcan lived in a volcano. As well as being
the god of fire, he made many weapons and forged them using metal
and fire. He was a very skilled blacksmith.
Romans believed that if
Vulcan was made angry, the
volcano would erupt. So they
tried their best to please him
and not anger him.
Forged: to have made or
shaped
Click onathe
metal
wordobject using
in bold to
findaout
firewhat
or furnace.
it means!
Where Are Most Volcanoes Located?
The ‘Ring of Fire’
is an area of the
Pacific Ocean that
is shaped like a
horseshoe. It is
home to 90% of
the world's It contains a string
earthquakes and of 452 volcanoes,
75% of the which stretches
world's volcanoes. from the southern
tip of South
America, up along
the coast of North
America, down
through Japan, and
into New Zealand.
How Are Volcanoes Formed?
Deep in the earth, it is extremely hot. It is so hot, in fact, that rocks
actually melt and form magma, which makes up the mantle of the earth.
The upper mantle mixes and moves,
which creates pressure underneath
the crust. This pressure can
sometimes cause the mantle
to leak out onto the
surface of the earth
– this is a
volcano!
Over time, as this magma leaks out,
the volcano will get bigger
and bigger.
The Three Stages of Volcanoes
Scientists have placed volcanoes in to three different categories.
What do you think each one is?
Active
An active volcano is one that has erupted recently, and there is the
possibility that it may erupt again.
Dormant
A dormant volcano is one that has not erupted for a long time, however,
it may still erupt in the future.
Extinct
An extinct volcano is one which has erupted
thousands of years ago, but it will
probably never erupt again.
Why Do Volcanoes Erupt?
We know that the earth's crust is made up of huge slabs called tectonic
plates. These fit together like a jigsaw puzzle and they sometimes move.
The movement causes friction
which causes earthquakes and
volcanic eruptions near the
edges of the plates. The theory
that explains this process is
called ‘plate tectonics’ – this
means the plates are moving in
different directions and at
different speeds. Sometimes
they collide or brush past each
Friction: the resistance created other and cause these
when
Click one word
on the surface
in rubs
bold to earthquakes and volcanic
findagainst another.
out what it means! eruptions.
What Are the Different Parts of a Volcano?
Click on each label to find out more. Click again to remove.
vent ash cloud
An opening in the A cloud of ash. It is crater
surface of the Earth formed by volcanic
through which volcanic explosions The mouth of a volcano.
materials, such as It surrounds the vent.
magma, can escape. throat
conduit The entrance of a
volcano. It ejects lava
An underground A large underground
and volcanic ash.
passage which magma pool of liquid rock found
travels through. beneath the surface of
the Earth.
magma reservoir
How Many Volcanoes Are There?
There are more than 1500 active volcanoes on Earth. There are also
more than 80 volcanoes under the ocean, although these are just the
ones that have been discovered.
What Types of Volcano Are There?
Mount St. Helens in Washington, USA is a composite volcano.
Composite Volcanoes
These volcanoes are steep-sided volcanoes and are made up of lots of
layers of volcanic rocks. They usually erupt in an explosive way because
the magma in these volcanoes is quite sticky. It clogs up the passage
that it has to pass through. Pressure is built inside the volcanic chamber
and this results in the volcano erupting violently.
What Types of Volcano Are There?
Sunset Crater in Arizona, USA is a cinder cone.
Cinder Cones
Cinder cones are circular or oval cones. They are made up of small
fragments of lava, which are blown into the air through a single vent.
When they cool down, they form rock around the vent. They grow
quickly, but are not usually very big. They are not usually
dangerous either.What Types of Volcano Are There? Shield Volcanoes like this one in Hawaii are common in this part of the world. Shield Volcanoes Shield volcanoes are bowl or shield-shaped in the middle. When they erupt, the lava is quite runny and it travels long distances down the side of the volcano before it cools down. This lava forms long, gentle slopes that look like a warrior's shield, which is how they got their name. These volcanoes do not often explode.
More Volcano Facts
What is the difference between What is a ‘pyroclastic flow’?
magma and lava? This is the most deadly of all
Magma is liquid rock inside a volcano activities.
volcano. Lava is the name for It is a liquidised mixture of solid
liquid rock that has flowed out of and part-solid fragments and hot,
a volcano. Lava takes a long time expanding gases.
to cool down as it is not a good They look like a snow avalanche
heat conductor. As a lava flow but are extremely hot and
cools down, it gets slower and contain poisonous gases. They
thicker. move at the speed of a hurricane.
Heaton
Click Conductor:
the word
something which
in bold to find can
transfer
outheat from one
more!
object to another.What Is the Largest Active Volcano?
Mauna Loa
The largest, active volcano in the world is Mauna Loa in Hawaii. It is
13,677 feet above sea level. From its base below sea level to its summit,
Mauna Loa is taller than Mount Everest.Volcanoes of the World
Mount St Helens
×1 ×
2
Mount St Helens is an active On 18th May 1980, it erupted and
volcano located in killed 57 people and destroyed
Washington, USA in the lots of roads and homes.
Cascade Mountain Range.
×
5
×
3 ×
4
An earthquake triggered a
This was the first time
Mount St Helens is stilllandslide, which caused a
pyroclastic flows (the clouds sideways blast, sending
of hot gas, ash and rock) active,
were and is monitored clouds of ash, gas and rock
closely
studied using new scientific by geologists to
speeding away from the
techniques. predict if it will erupt again. volcano.
Click on the numbers to reveal the facts.Volcanoes of the World
Mount Vesuvius, Naples, Italy
×1 ×
2
Mount Vesuvius has a very In 79AD, Vesuvius erupted for a
famous history. Its base is 30 whole day. Thousands of people
miles wide and it is estimated were killed, and the city of
to be around 17,000 years old. Pompeii was buried.
×
5
×
3 ×
4
Over the years, archaeologists
Vesuvius have
50 found bodies preserved
In 1995, Vesuvius was made a has erupted overby The
the ash from the volcano
times
National Park. Visitors canin the last 200 years.
last time was in 1944 along with other items, such
during
climb the mountain. as heating stoves and cooking
the Second World War.
utensils.
Click on the numbers to reveal the facts.Volcanoes of the World
Mount Fuji, Japan
×1 ×
2
Mount Fuji is the highest Over 100,000 people climb Mount
mountain in Japan. It is 3776m Fuji every year. It is the most
high. It is on the island of Honshu, climbed mountain in the world.
about 100km from Tokyo.
×
5
×
3 ×
4
Mount Fuji last erupted in
A forest named 1708. It has become a symbol
The volcano is actually
Aokigahara lies at the of the country and is featured
three separate volcanoes
foot of the mountain and
piled one on top of the in lots of paintings.
is said to be haunted by
other with Fuji at the top.
ghosts and goblins.
Click on the numbers to reveal the facts.Volcanoes of the World
Popocatépetl, Mexico
×1 ×
2
Until it erupted in 1994, It is nicknamed 'El Popo'. It has
Popocatépetl was erupted several times since 1994.
dormant for 50 years.
×
4
×
3
It is considered one of the
In 2013, flights over Mexico world’s most dangerous
were cancelled due to ash volcanoes. It last erupted in
and steam being produced April 2016.
by the volcano.
Click on the numbers to reveal the facts.Are There Volcanoes on Other Planets?
Earth is not the only planet to have volcanoes, although most of the
volcanoes on other planets are now extinct.
Mercury used to Mars has the Io is one of Triton is
have volcanoes largest known Jupiter's moons Neptune's
but when the volcano called and has largest moon.
planet's interior Olympus Mons. several active Instead of lava,
cooled down, It is no longer volcanoes. the volcanoes on
the volcanoes active and will Triton actually
died. probably never release ice.
erupt again.Glossary Forged: to have made or shaped a metal object using a fire or furnace. Molten: something made in to a liquid by heat. Magma: hot fluid or semi-fluid below the earth's crust. Friction: the resistance created when one surface rubs against another. Heat conductor: something which can transfer heat from one object to another. Archaeologist: someone who studies history using evidence from fossils and artefacts.
You can also read
